Electric-motor-conveyer trackways



y July 30, 1929. E. HANAK ELECTRIC MOTOR CONVEYER TRAGKWAYS 2 Sheets-Sheet` 1 Filed Aug. 25, 1927 mi ma Nr a E ATTORNEY Patented July 39, 1929.

UNITED stares l .f Y rang-x.

EDWARD HANAK, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.

' ELECTRIC-MOTOR-CONVEYER TRACKWAYS.

The invention generally relates to conveyer systems, particularly of the electrically operated type wherein are provided trackways, conductor rails and electric motor operated trolleys which ride along the rails and to the motors of which current is supplied from the conductor rails, and has for its object to provide certain new and useful improvements in the trackway and conductor rail structures providing for greater strength and economy in use and manufacture, greater ease and economy in hanging or mounting, and greater safety in use by the practical elimination of arcing and sparks.

lVith the above and. other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the invention further resides inthe novel details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, all of which will be first fully described in the following detailedy description, then be particularly pointedk out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which Y Figure 1 is a vertical cross section taken through varpartrof my improved trackway, a trolley being shown mounted thereon.

Figure 2 is 'a vertical cross section illustrating a means to protect the conductor `rails against blows and abrasions, this means being usable with the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical cross section illustrating' a modified means to protect the conductor rails against blows and abrasions.

Figures 4 and 5 are plan and side uviews respectively of a length of track rail having a solid we l Figures 6 and 7 are views similar to Figures 4 and 5 of a modification andillustrate a track rail length having a lattice work web.

Figure 8 Ais a vertical cross section taken on lthe line 88 on Figure 7 .i

Figure 9 is a` perspective view, parts being broken away, illustrating the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 1, withthe protecting means shown in Figure 2 applied. I Figure 10 is a detail sectional perspective view on the line 10e-10 of Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a detail longitudinal section on the line 11--11 of Figure 10.

In the drawing, in which like numerals of one at each side of the central web 6, the said reference indicate like parts in all of the figures, 1 generally designates a trolley of any approved electrically driven t ple adapted to @ideen and be ded by am?. 'e we current fer @wer euppiri the trackA Application inea August 25, 192'?. semi No. 215,485.

age which forms the subject-matter of my present invention.

The driving motor ofthe trolley is indicated at Zand the said motor applies the desired rotation to the traction wheels 3 which ride upon the trackway through the medium of the train of speed reductiongears 4,- see Figure 1.

In the practical ydevelopment of my improved trackage I provide base angles 5 in the nature of angle irons which are riveted or otherwise secured back to back to the lower edge of the web 6, the horizontal iianges provided by the angles 5 serving to provide trackways upon which the traction wheels 3 roll.

To the upper edge of the web 6 slightly larger angle irons 7 are secured back to back as at 8` and the parts 5, 6 and 7 collectively form aV trackway of I-beam shape in vertical cross section as will be observed byreference to Figure 1 of the drawing. The I-beam trackway is formed in sections or lengths as indicated in Figures 4 and 5 of the drawing from Ywhich itwill be observed that the webs ext-endbeyond the angles at one end as at 9 and terminate short of the angles at the other end of each length to provide receiving pockets 10 to receive the extended web portion of the neXt adjacent length and provide a convenient means of securing the lengths together as at 11. In this manner the continuity of the track is substantially unbroken and it is unnecessary to provide special join-` ing plates or clamps to secure the lengths of I-beam of the trackage together.

In Figures 6 and 7 I have illustrated a modified form ofI-beam trackage in which the upper and lower I-beam .pairs are not oined by a solid webbut by staggered bars 12 forming a lattice work webproviding grooves or pockets intervening the places at whiclrthe Vsaid bars are secured as at 13. The pockets are indicated at 14. 'Io suitably hang or support the trackage, hanger rods 15 may be provided and their lower ends inserted through convenient ones `of the grooves 14 andthe trackage secured upon the said de-k pending rod endsv byany suitable securing means such as is generally indicated at 16.

Electricity conducting rails 17 are provided rails beingof T-shape in cross section. The headsl of T-r'ails are embedded filler and 'strips 18 of wood tlir suit ai and which. along' the abel Lic

lower faces of the horizontal flanges of the angles 7 and extend slightly laterally from the edges thereof. The strips 18 serve to space the rails 17 from their carrying flanges and also to insulate them and by providing the said strips and extending Ythem slightly laterally from the flanges electrical arcing is rendered impossible at this point between the rails 17 and angle irons 7.

Suitable securing means are provided at intervals to clamp or secure the conductor railsv to the carrying flanges and it is to be understood that the filler strips 18 terminate at each side of the securing means to provide spaces for positioning the same. Each securing means includes a space filler or portion 19 adapted to lie between the conductor rail and the adjacent flange portion and a pair of gripper fingers 2() to grip over the edges of the carrying flange and conductor rail respectively in the manner clearly illustratcd in Figure 1 of the drawing. he carrying flanges and portions 19 are provided with registering apertures to permit passage of the securing shanks 21 which carry the clamp lugs 22 provided with bevelled faces 23 to `engagethe adjacent insulator on the T-rail edge and a pivot heel 24 which bears against the portion 19 so that when the securing nuts 25 are screwed home the bevelled faces 23 will be securely clamped against the Trail insulator edge to hold the T-rail against the portion 19, the lower gripperfinger 20 and the lower face of the filler strip. To prevent electrical contact and arcing at these points between the rails 17 and angle irons 7 a fibre sheet or other suitable insulating strip 26 is wrapped around the head of the T-rails at the positions of the securing means in the manner illustrated in Figure 1.

Current from the conductor rails 17 is distributed to thel motor through the trolley wheels 27 mounted at 28 on the trolley, through theconductor wires 29 to the cutout switch 30, and from the cutout switch 30 through wires 31 to the said motor.

In order to connect electrically the ends of adjacent conductor rails 17 which abut one another, I wrap a conducting sheet 26X around the said ends before wrapping theinsulation sheet 26 thereon. Then when the clamps V19 and 22 are applied the said sheet will be secured in good mechanical and electrical con e tact with the ends of the rail sections. It may be found practicable to provide protecting skirts to protect the conductor rails against blows, abrasions, or other undesirable contact. In Figures 2 and 3 of the drawing I have indicated the provision of such protective skirts.

In Figure 2 the skirts are formed by mounting angle irons 32 upon the edges of the horizontal portions of the upper angle irons 7 to form depending skirts 33 positioned laterally of the conductor rails and extending an appreciable distance below the lowermost edges thereof. In Figure 3 the same purpose is accomplished by altering the construction of the member 7 to constitute channel irons instead of angle irons which provide similar depending skirts 34 for the purpose specified.

In the foregoing description I have disclosed a simple and compact construction of trackage which serves not only to support and guide the electrically driven troll-ey but also to support and protect the conductor rails by which the electricity is provided for operation of the power motor. In the disclosure I have also described and illustrated means for effeciently preventing arcing and undesired dangerous electrical contacts.

From the foreging description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing,

it is thought that the novel details of construction, the manner of use and the advantages of my invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which it relates.

What I claim is: Y

1. In conveyer trackways, a trolley guide and supporting track comprising web sections, angle irons secured back to back to the upper edge of the web sections, and other angle irons secured back to back to the lower edge of the web sections, the web sections each terminating short of the angle irons at one end and'projecting beyond the angle irons at the other end to form interlocking portions forthe purposes specified.

2; Irackage for electrically driven trolleys, comprising an I-beam including lower and upper horizontal flanges constituting trolleyv riding flanges, and conductor rail'mounting and protecting flanges respectively, conductor rails, means to clamp the conductor railsv along the upper flanges of the I-beam, and spacer and insulator strips extending along the conductor rails and spacing and insulating them from the flanges to which said rails are secured.

3. Trackage for electrically driven trolleys, comprising an lI-loeam including lower and upper horizontal flanges const-itutingtrolley riding flanges, and conductor rail mounting and protecting flanges respectively,T-shaped conductor rails, means to clamp 'the conductor rails along the upper flanges of the I-beam, and spacer and insulator stripsextending along the conductor rails and spacing and insulating them from the flanges to which said rails are secured, the T heads of said conductor rails being embedded inthe said strips. j

4;. Trackage for electricallydriven trolleys, comprising an I-beam including lower and upper horizontal flanges constituting trolley riding flanges, and conductor rail mounting and protecting flanges respectively, conductor rails, means to clamp the conductor rails along the upper flanges of the I-beam,

and skirt flanges carried by the conductor rail carrying flanges and extending laterally of and depending below the said conductor rails to protect them from blows and abrasion.

5. Trackage for electrically driven trolleys, comprising an I-beam including lower and upper horizontal flanges constituting trolley riding flanges, and conductor rail mounting and protecting flanges respectively, conductor rails, means to clamp the conductor rails along the upper flanges of the I-beam, spacer and insulator strips extending along the conductor rails and spacing and insulating them from the flanges to which said rails are secured, said insulator strips being terminated at each side of the securing means and Y each said securing means comprising a spacing portion, flanges to grip the edges of the conductor rail and I-beam flange edges, and an adjustable clamp lug.

6. Trackage for electrically driven trolleys, comprising an I-beam including lower and upper horizontal flanges constituting trolley riding flanges, and conductor rail mounting and protecting flanges respectively, conductor rails, means to clamp thejconductor rails along the upper flanges of the I-beam, spacer and insulator strips extending along the conductor rails and spacing and insulating them from the flanges to which said rails are secured, said insulator strips being terminated at each side of the securing means and each said securing means comprising a spacing portion, flanges to grip the edges of the conductor rail and I-beam flange edges, and an adjustable clamp lug, and a thin insulator strip clamped between each securing means and the adjacent portion of the conductor rail.

7. Trackage for electrically driven trolleys comprising an I-beam including upper and lower horizontal flanges, the lower flanges constituting riding flanges for the trolley wheels and the upper flanges constituting a conductor rail mounting and protecting means, conductor rails, clamps for securing said conductor rails to said upper flanges, means electrically insulating said conductor rails from said upper flanges, said conductor rails being made of sections laid end to end, and means electrically connecting said sections together.

8. Trackage for electrically driven trolleys comprising van Ibeam including upper and lower horizontal flanges, the lower flanges constituting riding flanges for' the trolley wheels and the upper flanges constituting a good mechanical and electrical contact with the ends of said rail sections.

EDWARD HANAK. 

